Almost a year ago nursing homes in Louisiana were experiencing alarming rates of COVID infections and now data indicates infection rates continue to decline to their lowest levels yet. Brooke Thorington has more.
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Under a bill by Gonzales Representative Kathy Edmonston, that’s headed to the House floor your state driver’s license can’t be turned into a vaccine passport. Matt Doyle has more.
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LSU’s newest coach made a fiery entrance into the Purple and Gold Family as Kim Mulkey didn’t hold back whatsoever to the crowd gathered at the PMAC
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Governor Edwards will announce whether the state will further lift COVID restrictions this afternoon at a 330 PM press conference.
Governor Edwards wouldn’t tip his hand as to whether or not the state would join our neighbors in Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas in dropping the mask mandate.
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About a million and a half Louisianans have now received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine but the number of new COVID vaccinations every week has fallen to about a third of its mid-March peak.
President Biden says he hopes for a return to relative normal by the 4th of July. Governor Edwards says that’s a good goal to set but we’ll need to continue the vaccine campaign to get to it.
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Governor Edwards says we’re making good progress fighting the pandemic but the long-term fate of some COVID restrictions may be somewhat out of our hands.
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The ongoing public health emergency declaration is set to expire Wednesday.
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The most recent report of COVID cases in Louisiana nursing homes indicates a continued downward trend. Of the state’s 275 homes they are reporting fewer than 30 new cases. Tulane Epidemiologist Doctor Susan Hassig says it’s a testimony of the strong efficacy of the vaccines.
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Nursing home data is reported each Wednesday and of the 14 facilities that reported a new case last week, they had no more than two new infections.
Hassig says not only are the vaccines keeping case numbers down but if residents are infected it’s not as dire as it was before for the most vulnerable demographic to the virus.
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Reviewing data of nursing home residents, which were among the first to be vaccinated in the state is a great example of what can happen across the state with increased vaccination rates. Hassig says if you’re on the fence now is the time be to vaccinate before variants possibly negate our progress.
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Roughly a third of the eligible population in the state has received at least one shot, third-worst in the nation.
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A House committee unanimously approves legislation banning the Office of Motor Vehicles from putting a person’s vaccine status on their driver’s license, or requiring vaccination to receive an ID.
Gonzales Representative Kathy Edmonston says she filed this bill to make sure state IDs could not be turned into “vaccine passports”.
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“Vaccine passports” identify someone as being fully vaccinated, thus allowing them access to entry and participation in certain events like concerts that will only allow participation from those fully vaccinated.
Health Freedom Louisiana co-director Jill Hines testified in favor of the bill. She says establishing state-created vaccine passports leads to coercion.
Cut 11 (13) “…overreach.”
Health Freedom Louisiana has previously taken stands against the statewide mask mandate and suggested a link between vaccinations and autism.
Haughton Representative Dodie Horton says including medical information on state IDs would be a violation of privacy.
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An OMV spokesperson told the committee that the office is currently not authorized by the Legislature to put someone’s vaccine status on a driver’s license or require vaccination to receive one.
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LSU’s newest coach made quite an entrance into the Purple and Gold family as Tangipahoa native Kim Mulkey showcased her feisty personality to the Tiger faithful gathered at the PMAC Monday. After more than two decades as head coach at Baylor, Mulkey is the ultimate catch to coach women’s basketball.
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58-year old Mulkey, the most successful player-turned coach in college basketball history and three national championships as head coach, recognized the current women’s basketball team and then pointed out banners hanging from the ceiling
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As the school remains embroiled in a Title IX scandal, Mulkey recognized the elephant in the room and promised to make a difference on and off the court.
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The Tickfaw native thanked those involved in bringing her back home to coach at LSU and became emotional at times recognizing fellow coaches who made a personal impact on her life.
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LSU’s Tre Morgan is the SEC Freshman of the Week after he went 9-for-18 at the plate with 3 runs driven in and five runs scored as the Tigers won three of the four games they played last week. Morgan is also on a ten-game hitting streak. Coach Paul Mainieri says the New Orleans native has had a huge impact on their program…
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LSU is 6-and-12 in the SEC after winning two of three from 19th ranked Ole Miss. The Tigers have won back-to-back series, but Mainieri says they still have a bad taste in their mouth after blowing an eight-run lead on Saturday and losing 10-9 to the Rebels…
Cut 17 (25) “…plugging away.”